Nothing Is Ever as It Appears To Be
by ashleybelle
Summary: alternate universe with GSR, GregXOC and no specific timeline. An old friend of Sara's named Jane, and her daughter show up with something that might help the team solve a grisly string of "anniversary serial murders". Will the team, and Greg, be able to keep Jane and her little girl safe from what she knows? Or will they be the killers next victims? M rating at some point.
1. Chapter 1

The bright brown eyes scanned the Vegas crime lab as Jane held her little girl and looked for her friend, Sara who worked on the night shift. She just wanted to talk to someone, anyone really about what she'd just found out.

Instead, she turned the corner, and smacked into a male with a firm chest and blondish spiky hair. He smiled brightly, and then steadied Jane and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I need to find CSI Sara Sidle. Right now. I-it's important." Jane said quietly as Greg looked at her, at the sleeping little girl she was carrying in her arms. "Here. Let me take the kid, and Sara should be in her lab." Greg said as he held the much shorter brunette female's gaze a moment, and watched her nod, then walk off quietly.

"She was kinda cute." Greg muttered, but quickly dismissed the thought. She was probably either taken or married, and if not, he'd most likely screw it up, because he was too much like a child himself, according to his team members.

Jane stood in the doorway of Sara's office and cleared her throat. "We need to talk, Sara." she said quietly as Sara jumped in shock, then ran to hug her friend.

"When did you get to Las Vegas, J?" she asked as she looked at her friend. She knew body language, and she knew Jane's like the back of her hand. "And why do you look like you're scared to death right now? Where's Hannah?"

"Hannah is with Greg, I think.. The one you told me about in your last letter? I think that's who I ran into. He basically took Hannah insisting he'd be fine with her while I talked to you. He didn't seem like a bad guy, and my gut wasn't telling me he was harmful, or anything, so I said it'd be okay."

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Sara asked as she noticed the metal lock box in her friend's hand.

"My ex boyfriend.. Hannah's father, remember? Well, I was packing all his crap, to give back to him, since he's finally going to move out and get out of my life, of Hannah's life and I found it."

Sara raised a brow as she asked, "Is there a key?"

"No need. I've seen what's in it already. I just thought the crime lab might like to, considering it's the ten year anniversary of that serial killer, and bodies are turning up again." Jane said quietly, as she bit her fingernails, looked at her best friend, and waited on the I told you so.

Because Sara had told Jane about this guy, said something felt off about him. But he was so good with Hannah... And when he wasn't drinking, and picking fights, hitting her, he could be a sweet guy.

But lately, he'd been acting like he was two different people, and he'd started doing odd things... Like spending a lot of time in his old hunting cabin on the lake.

Some nights, he didn't even come home.

Sara opened the box and her hand went to her mouth. "Where did he get this stuff?" she gasped out as she turned to look at her best friend Jane.

"I've got a bad feeling that neither of us really wants the answer to that one, Sara." Jane muttered, avoiding her best friend's warm brown gaze.

Sara pulled Jane into a hug and then said " You... Are coming to stay with me. No ifs ands or buts."

Jane nodded and then said quietly, "I'm done with him. The fact that HE could be the new Lakeside strangler just makes everything make sense."

Sara sighed and then said "And if he's not, this stuff shows he knows who is. And we need it. You did the right thing, Jane. To hell with staying there because of Hannah. I think Hannah would rather have her mommy alive. Now, let's go see my god daughter.."

Sara and Jane walked down the hallway, only to find Greg holding the little girl on his lap as she watched him doing a simple magic trick in amazement. "So... Wishing you'd have went on that blind date a few years ago, now?"

Jane sighed and then biting her lower lip said "That's the guy you were going to set me up with?"

Sara nodded, barely hiding a chuckle as she cleared her throat, making Greg look up, blush a deep red at having been caught being childish yet again by one of the older members of the team.

"Greg, this is Jane. The little girl you're holding is my goddaughter, Hannah."

Greg smiled and then said "She's a cute kid. Really smart." as he started towards the brunettes and handed Jane back her daughter, after ruffling the little girl's ponytails and saying, "And you. Come back and see me, got it?"

Hannah nodded quietly, half asleep, her thumb in her mouth. After one last hug, and Sara handing Jane the key to her apartment, Jane left, and Greg turned to Sara as he asked, "So.. What had her practically shaking like a leaf just now?"

"The serial killer, Greg.. We might have a huge lead in that case." Sara explained as she took him up the hall, and they looked through the box.

Greg gaped and then said "Lemme get this straight.. She was with this guy?"

"Yes. If he's the copy cat, she was. If he's not, then he KNOWS the copy cat, which not only makes him an asshole, but an accessory to the crimes."

Greg nodded, and thought about the brunette from earlier.

"She's kind of cute." he murmured, as Sara managed to smile to herself.

"Good. You want to get to know her?"

"Maybe, Sidle.. Why?"

"You can go and sit with her tomorrow while Gil and I are gone. I do not want her home by herself, if he knows this box is missing..."

Greg nodded and said "Got it. And gladly."

Sara thanked him and the two fell to work again silently.


	2. Chapter 2

"Whoa, whoa.. Sara, Gil.. You're both forgetting one thing.. I'm a PI. And he knows me, he won't suspect that I suspect him. Just let me do this, help you guys... Please?" Jane asked as Sara shook her head no, and firmly at that. "Are you insane? Your kid is reason enough you don't need to be anymore in this than you are."

Jane sighed, biting her lip and nodded, "But I'm doing it to protect Hannah. He's gonna come after us, and I'm not about to go out like the girl tied to the train tracks in a bad Western."

Greg edged into the office as he spoke up. "I agree with Sara, Jane. I mean I barely know you but.. Do you really want to risk becoming this guys next victim?"

Jane shot him a quick glare, and then said "Fine. I'm on borrowed time anyway." as Sara hugged her best friend and then said "Just let us do our job, Jane. And if that jerk calls you or anything today.. I want to know about it. Promise?"

"Scouts honor." Jane said as Hannah set her sights on Greg and climbed from her mother's arms, tugging at the leg of the pants Greg wore. "Pick me up." she asked as Greg smiled brightly, kneeled down, picked up the little girl. "I wann do more magic."

"Okay, kiddo. Let's go to the break room." Greg said as he looked at Jane, when she wasn't looking, smiled to himself. So far, he'd figured out that Jane was probably one of those women who could be a handful at times, just going by the stories she and Sara told about growing up together, some of which had had both himself and Gil Grissom rolling in the floor of the Sidle-Grissom apartment the night before.

Greg knew it wasn't smart, but he also knew he wanted to get to know Jane a lot better. And Hannah, she was cute.

"Do you wike my mommy?" Hannah asked quietly, as Greg shrugged and said "Not sure. I just met her, Hannah."

"You should smile more, sir." Hannah said as she looked up at him and then said "I wann see magic trick."

Greg smiled, and laughing said "Sure. Just give me a second to think of one, okay?"

Jane edged quietly into the room as she watched the man with Hannah. This was the way it was supposed to be, not the way it'd been with Jeff.

She finally cleared her throat in an honest attempt not to let her mind go there, she didn't need this, a relationship, not when she was in danger, or could be when Jeff figured out she had his "box".

Her phone rang, and she looked at the caller id, going pale. "Shit." she muttered as she looked at the other man, in a state of panic.

Greg took the phone and hit ignore, then said "If he calls back, then answer. If you'd have done it right now, and he doesn't already know something's wrong he definitely would have been suspicious."

Jane nodded, biting her lip. Greg couldn't help but think, _' that makes her look so damn sexy.'_ but quickly, he reminded himself that he was supposed to be helping Sara, by guarding her, not having bad thoughts about her, thoughts about what he'd do to her , if they'd have met under normal circumstances.

"Okay, that's a weird look, Greg." Jane stated as he shrugged and then said "Let's get you and Hannah back to Gil and Sara's, okay?"

He carried Hannah out, and put her in the car, then turned to Jane, as he bit his lower lip, holding her gaze. He was lost in her eyes right now, and he was about to say something, when she leaned in, straightened the collar on the button up shirt he was wearing tonight.

"Your collar was sticking up." she explained, though she knew it was a lie, and was mentally kicking herself. If she tried to keep flirting with him, she'd only wind up getting HIM into danger, and that was not something she wanted.

Finding her keys, she walked around to the drivers seat and got in, waiting on him, as she thought about why this guy managed to turn her to mush with an accidental look, or just being in the room.

Greg mentally kicked himself. He knew his track record, but he couldn't resist the pull, or the urge to flirt with Jane, get to know her, keep her safe, while he showed her that all men weren't jerks.

Both were so caught in their own thoughts that neither noticed the Tahoe with dark tinted windows and out of state plates fall in behind them.

Jeff growled as he got closer to Jane's Eclipse and mumbled, "You're dead when I get my hands on you, you little bitch. You had no business going through my stuff, and now you're going to fuck someone else. You're mine. Noone elses. And you're going to pay for this, big time."

He smiled in the dark. He'd known something was wrong when he'd called after coming back from another "hunting trip" to his cabin, and after cleaning up the blood spilled by the messy bleeding bitch he'd just carved up, when he found the note saying she'd went to visit Sara.

Now, he couldn't have that, could he? Sara Sidle was a known CSI.. And his fun was just beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

_Darkness fell on the cabin as the Tahoe approached it. The female beside him had long given up her screams of panic, her clawing at the window, the seat, anything to get out of the locked vehicle. The voices in his head were calmer now, much more lucid, and he was in a relaxed state, despite seeing Jane with that other fuck earlier, which had lead to the female sitting in his passenger seat currently. _

_He had to take his anger out on something, and right now, the urge to kill was stronger, much stronger than it had been ten years ago. Right now, his anger was controlling his actions, and the man knew that he'd have to wait before he played with his new toy.  
_

_Because the cops were onto him now, and one wrong move could make him have to stop again. And he knew this time, that he just couldn't do that. And it was all because of that bitch Jane, his so called girlfriend.  
_

_Maybe if he'd picked a stupid woman to fall for, one who didn't get so damn suspicious with every little discrepancy in his attitude or wrong word said.  
_

_"God damn it." he muttered as he picked the still woman up from the passenger seat, and slung her across his shoulders, grunting at the almost dead weight. He'd wait a few hours, with her in the pit, then the fun would begin. And he knew that he was on borrowed time, because of her.  
_

_Jane stole his box, his trophies, and now, they were going to take him down. In some ways, he wanted to be stopped. Just not yet. Not until he had his hands around her throat, and she was gasping for air, turning purple, eyes almost bulging from sockets.  
_

_The very thought of her strangling at his hand was turning him on. He growled and threw the unidentified female onto the floor, as hard as he could, as he added this to his mental list of wrongs Jane must be punished for.  
_

_Because she MUST be punished. It was her fault he was killing again. He hadn't wanted to until he'd found out she was planning on leaving because he was a cruel and sadistic fuck. And the final straw had been her telling him that she was done. Then being the snoopy bitch she was, stealing his box of trophies, and running to snitch him out.  
_

_Well, she'd pay.. But first, he'd torture his new "toy" until she wished she were dead. And then.. He'd strangle her and end her miserable life.  
_

_As he lit a cigarette, he sat down on the couch, opened his beer and thought about earlier in the night, when he'd made this grab. Oh, it'd been simple. The girl was drunk, a bit of a slut, and with a few looks, a few kind words, she'd been putty in his hands.  
_

_Just like Jane when he first met her. Before the kid came along, and before she got "ambition", and went back to school, getting her Private Investigator license.  
_

_Now he felt emasculated, and he had to have some outlet to vent that. So, the voices came back, and they took over. He'd kept them at bay, but slowly, he'd began to abuse her.  
_

_And then she'd had enough, told him she was leaving.. And he'd started to slip back into habits. And his habits felt more welcome than ever before.  
_

_He was on borrowed time, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it, right?  
_

__10 PM - Next Night- A Campground near the lake

"Female vic, in her early twenties. Appears to have been raped repeatedly, beaten severly, and tied then choked over and over." Doc Robbins said as he surveyed the body, before allowing the morgue to close it up in a black bag, load it into the truck and take it back to the lab.

Sara rubbed her arms, and bit her lower lip as she looked at Gil. "I don't like it, Gris." she muttered softly, as Gil simply nodded and said "If you have to, Sara. You can go sit this one out. The fact that she looks so much like Jane got to me also."

"No, I'm staying." the brunette said firmly as she licked her lips in determination, surveying the scene like a hawk.

Greg however, ran to a bush and did something he hadn't done since he'd been a rookie, still wet behind the ears. He threw up with so much force he thought his intestines were going to come up with all the food he'd eaten today, last night and the day before.

Nick looked over at Greg in concern. " Should I?"

Sara nodded and Nick walked over to Greg where he stood. "Greggo, if this is affecting you, or it's going to affect your work, you can always go and relieve Warrick of guarding her."

Greg shook his head as he said through gritted teeth, "No. She's Sara's best friend, practically her sister, and I want her to live so I can get to know her. I'm going to catch this sick fuck."

"Greg.. Are you sure you need to be out here?" Catherine asked as she bagged a bit of torn tarp, just in case it'd been used to wrap the dead victim they'd just found.

"Yes. For the last time. I can handle this. Why aren't you all giving Sidle all this shit? Shes' the one who's known her longer."

"Sara wasn't throwing up, Greg. You just did." Nick pointed out, as Greg crossed his arms, and glared. The other black SUV arriving on the scene had him looking up and as Warrick got out, with Jane who was holding Hannah and shaking like a leaf right now, his first instinct was to walk over, immediately.

Nick watched and raked his hand across spiky brown hair as the Texan smiled a little. Sara nodded and then leaning in said "That's the one thing I do know for sure. If Jane had taken my blind date instead of hooking up with Jeff from her Abnormal Psych course.. There is no doubt in my mind, those two would have worked out."

" Yeah. But... He's not exactly that confident." Nick stated as Sara shook her head and laughing said "Jane's probably got enough guts for two or three people tops. I mean, who knows.. Hannah might even have been Greg's, if only she'd listened to me, and went on the blind date."

Nick nodded as he watched Greg with the two females, watched the younger CSI's body language. "Wow.. He's definitely in protective mode. Squared back shoulders, serious look.."

Greg stood in front of Jane and asked, "Okay, calm down, start from the beginning."

"Hannah and me just got back from that one movie we were going to see.. Warrick stepped out of the room for five seconds tops.." Jane trailed off, biting her lip.

If she finished, Sara was going to demand around the clock guards, and she would definitely not be able to finish her own work, which she was behind on, or even step out alone for a breath of fresh air.

Because if she were Sara, and Sara were in her place, she'd demand the same. The two females were like sisters, more than best friends.

"And?" Greg asked, as Jane produced a zip lock bagged dead mouse, with a dead rose stuffed in it's decapitated head.

"Yeah. There are at least six more of 'em." Jane muttered and then said "I.. I didn't touch it, though.. Or the note that came with it... But he knows and suffice to say, Hannah and I are officially in the shit if he catches us alone."

"That's it. You're not leaving the safehouse. No work, no movies.." Sara said as Jane started to protest, and Sara held her hand up.

Greg looked at Sara and then said "Can I talk to you a minute, Sidle?"

They stepped over to the side and Greg leaned in, as he said "We do not need to tell her that the victims are starting to look more and more like her. You see how she's handling the dead mouse?"

Sara nodded then added casually, "By the way, loverboy.. Your apartment is the safehouse. And Gil just told me to tell you that we'll work on the case, you guard her."

Greg nodded solemnly, but inside, the sandy blond haired male was a jumble of thoughts and emotions. He knew he felt an attraction to Jane. He considered her a friend, and he did want to get to know her.

Then there was the other hand. He didn't want to blow it with her either. And he had a habit of striking out, or making bad choices.

Sara leaned in and said "This is me fixing things, Greggo. She should have went on the blind date I set up for her, with you. Take a risk and loosen up."

Greg nodded dumbly as the words sunk in. Basically, Sara was telling him that if he wanted to get to know Jane then despite current situation, he should at least try.

"I'm gonna get her back to my place then." Greg said as he walked back over to Jane and took Hannah into his arms.

As they got into the SUV, he said "My apartment's not that big.. But you guys can take the bed, I'll take the couch or something."

Jane nodded as she raked a hand through her dark brown hair and fixed her eyes on the road. If this were any other time, any other set of circumstances, and she hadn't been to Hell and back when she was with Jeff.. She'd be making a move.

There was this odd pull to Greg. She wanted to know him, be around him. She thought about him a lot since they'd met about two weeks ago, at the start of all this, and now, each time she WAS with him, she wanted to be with him more.

But.. She had to remind herself that right now, anything romantic was not safe. Hell, it wasn't even safe for him to know her right now.

And she'd be damned if she lost a chance to get to know him, see where things went, just because Jeff wanted her dead and Greg became collateral damage.


End file.
